Tag: Edo by-election

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Johnson Oghuma, has been declared winner of the House of Representatives by-election for Etsako federal constituency of Edo State.

The election was held last Saturday across Etsako West, Etsako East and Etsako Central Local Government Areas, which make-up the constituency.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Oghuma got a total of 39,876 votes to defeat the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Jude Imagwe, who 18,193 votes.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Shola Omotola, had while announcing the result on Sunday morning‎ said that the APC candidate secured the highest number of votes in the election.

Omotola explained that out of a total of 59,427 votes cast, 58,427 were valid while 874 votes were rejected.

“Mr. Johson Oghuma the APC, having certified the requirement, is hereby declared winner of the election,” Omotola added.

But the PDP expressed displeasure over the outcome of the poll, describing the result announced by the electoral umpire as ‎one that was “pre-determined”.

The state Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone, “The outcome of that election was already pre-determined, going by deliberate decisions never to conduct a free and fair election under the present regime.

“Card readers were not functioning. So, we are not surprised.”

Orbih, however, noted that party would meet to decide its next line of action.

“The decision to challenge or not is a party decision and the party has not met over the outcome,” he added.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared six political parties for the by-election at Etsako East/Etsako West/ Etsako Central Federal Constituency, Edo state, scheduled for Jan. 28.

The commission disclosed this in its daily bulletin issued on Wednesday in Abuja.

The bulletin listed the political parties and their candidates as: Mr Johnson Oghuma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Imagwe Jude of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Others are : Ramotu Sule of the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD); and Yinusa Miminu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Also Promise Mamoud of the Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP); and Aishat Abu of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) made the list.

The Etsako federal constituency seat became vacant when Mr Pius Odubu, became the running mate of the APC governorship candidate, Gov. Godwin Obaseki in the November, 2016 election.

‎The Independent National Electoral Commission has said a total of 1,622 ad hoc personnel would participate in Saturday’s House of Representatives by-election for Etsako federal constituency in Edo State.

The state Administrative Secretary, Oscar-Lee Amaechi, disclosed this during a meeting with the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security and political parties in Benin on Tuesday.

Amaechi also said that six political parties had fielded candidates for the poll.

‎The administrative secretary said the supervisory presiding officers and assistant presiding officers had been trained on the procedures for the poll.

He also noted that corps members, who would participate in the exercise were undergoing training in Auchi, Agenebode and Fugar‎ located in Etsako West, Etsako East and Etsako Central Local Government Areas, respectively.
It was, however, learnt that while no resident electoral commissioner had been appointed for Edo, a former REC in the state, Baritor Kpagi, would supervise the exercise.

The All Progressives Congress will on Saturday hold its primary election to pick its flag bearer ahead of the January 28 by-election election for Etsako Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

This is just as one of the aspirants, Blessing Agbomere, has vowed to resist any attempt by some party leaders to make him step down.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had announced that the by-election would be held to fill the seat which became vacant after the immediate past member representing the constituency, Philip Shuaibu, was sworn-in as the new deputy governor, following the victory of the APC in the September 28 governorship election.

Several aspirants h‎ad earlier declared their interest in the election.

But most of them, including the eldest son of the immediate past governor, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, reportedly withdrew from the contest, leaving only a former member of the state House of Assembly, Johnson Oghuma, and a former governorship aspirant, Blessing Agbomere, to vie for the party’s ticket.

Etsako federal constituency, located in Edo North senatorial district, is made of Etsako West, Etsako East and Etsako Central Local Government Areas, while the exercise will hold in Auchi, in Etsako West LGA.

However, it was learnt that some of the party leaders in the district had agreed to zone the ticket to Etsako central, where Oghuma hails from.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed January 28, 2017, for the by-election for Etsako Federal Constituency of Edo State in the House of Representatives.

The seat became vacant following the inauguration of the former member representing the area, Philip Shuaibu, as Deputy Governor on November 12, 2016.

The notice of the election was contained in a statement signed by the acting Secretary of the commission, Musa Adamu, and made available to The PUNCH on Monday.

According to the notice, political parties are expected to conduct their primaries on or before January 15 in line with Section 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).

The electoral umpire fixed January 17 as the last day for the submission of Forms CF001, CF002 and nomination forms at the INEC headquarters.

It said that the personal particulars of candidates (CF001) and list of nominated candidates would be published not later than January 22.

It also stated that while the names of the party agents for the election would be submitted to the electoral officer on January 20, campaigns were expected to end on January 26.

It was learnt that some politicians had already indicated their interest to contest the election under the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.

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